4th Gen Windshield Chips / Cracks

[TeCKis300]

I posted in another windsheild thread but wanted to create a poll to see the percentage of 4th gen owners who have gotten chips or cracks in the windshield.

My theory is that the 4th gen t4r is particularly susceptible to windshield chips and cracks. In my 4800 miles of ownership, I now have 5 different chips. Toyota must know about this issue as they increased windshield thickness in the '06 model and spun it off as a noise reducing feature when it was primarily done to address windshield durability.

Let me know if you have had multiple chips/cracks?

Also, anyone think a bug shield will help?

 

[TRD04RUNNER]

I got like 5 to 6 dot size my. i wonder if those kit they sell will fill them in??

 

[curtis]

I got a dime size crack when a small rock got kicked up by the car ahead of me...it hit pretty hard.

Got it repaired instead of the windsheild replaced.

 

[nated05]

I got like 5 to 6 dot size my. i wonder if those kit they sell will fill them in??

Me too, I also have a few nice chips in the paint above my windshield.

 

[sharp4runr]

I had a chip that turned into a huge crack. Safelite replaced it with Toyota OEM glass and I haven't had any problems since (knock on wood).

The glass that comes with your truck has Temperlite etched into it, my replacement glass says Lamipane.

So technically my vote is My Windshield is PERFECT at the moment.

 

[TeCKis300]

I guess I should have rephrased it as:

"Have you ever had a chip or crack."

 

[dingo]

I have 3 so far (probably have more than I know), at aprrox. 5k miles right now. I will go out of my way to avoid those damn gravel trucks or stay far back from another vehicle if I can. One flew off and chipped the right side of the windshield while I was driving up to Sacramento. All I heard is this startling "CRACK!" and then a feeling of anxiety. It's about 2 millimeters in diameter. It's not deep nor does it have a crack but it still pisses me off to no end. The other two chips are more like small rain drop sized and are hardly noticeable. It's bound to happen though when you do plenty of highway driving as I do. Hell, my '91 Acura Integra has tons of chips, not only on the windshield but on the headlights, hood, etc.

 

[Derek]

I don't do very much highway driving so my windshield for the most part is chip and crack free after 9,000 miles. I will say this though, the glass used on the 4Runner is much better than some cars. My '05 Volvo S40 had the WORST quality glass I had ever seen. Within 5,000 miles, I had chips all over the windshield, and then one day after I washed the car, I was detailing the interior and accidentally hit the switch for the wipers. They went across my CLEAN windshield one time, and that was enough to put multiple scratches across the entire length of the glass. A lot of S40 owners have actually cracked their windshields on purpose so that insurance would replace it for them. The quality glass used on the 4Runner is MUCH better than that used on the P.O.S. Volvo I got rid of.

 

[sharp4runr]

I guess I should have rephrased it as:

"Have you ever had a chip or crack."

I could add an entry that say, "I've had the windshield replaced because of cracks or chips"

Let me know.

 

[OUTRNNR]

I've done just 3 round trips to Vail and back from Denver (one of which had relatively dry roads w/ minimal gravel) and my winshield looks like it has 20,000 miles on it, after just 7000 miles!! No cracks or deep chips to speak of, just hundreds of tiny chips visible while driving into the sun. The gravel up and down I-70 is bad, but I didn't expect my winshield to be this bad after only 3 mountain trips...Glad I got the clear-bra!!

Is this just an OEM winshield thing??Or should I expect to replace the glass every year?

 

[alpha]

I have a chip in my windshield, right in direct view too. It was because of this truck on the freeway when I was driving stuff to my school apt over the summer, it kicked up a rock. And the next week, another rock hit the same exact spot, I'm glad it didn't crack. It hasn't cracked yet, but when it does, that'll be when I replace it..

 

[TeCKis300]

I could add an entry that say, "I've had the windshield replaced because of cracks or chips"

Let me know.

Thanks for the offer...but the 3 categories should suffice. I just don't want anyone to interpret it as the current windshield condition. I want to know how many people have experienced chips and cracks during their ownership.

 

[TeCKis300]

I completely agree that windshield issues are dependent on driving and road conditions...however, the t4r seems more susceptible to windshield damage.

I have done many many trips along the same routes and conditions with my other vehicles but none seem to be the magnet for rocks that the t4r windshield seems to be. That is what I am trying to figure out.

 

[Mark86]

On my 2003 Sport, I had a few chips on the windshield. The largest one (which wasn't even worth replacing the glass for) was caused by a cement truck throwing a pebble from the tire. On my current 4Runner, I have two very small chips from pebbles.

 

[khaug]

3 years, 51,000 miles and no chips or cracks in our '03.

Our previous 'Runner, '98 Limited, had several chips by the time I traded it in on our '03.

 

[jeober]

My theory is that the 4th gen t4r is particularly susceptible to windshield chips and cracks. In my 4800 miles of ownership, I now have 5 different chips. Toyota must know about this issue as they increased windshield thickness in the '06 model and spun it off as a noise reducing feature when it was primarily done to address windshield durability

You got that right. On this forum there aren't noise complaints on 03-05 models but certainly weak windshield complaints.

 

[JoJoBetsy]

I suspect that chipping or cracking of the windshield is more about driving conditions than the quality of glass on the T4R. The only question I thought of when replying here is has there been a change in the rake angle of the front glass? Steeper angles will inherantly result in more chips and eventual cracks. I don't believe there have been any rake changes though.

jb

 

[exokomp]

No chips or cracks yet (only 700 miles on the Odometer) but I have noticed that pebbles(etc) seem to hit the windshield with much more frequency than I ever noticed in my Grand Cherokee. Seems like an aerodynamic issue. I guess a hood spoiler or acrylic bug deflector might help the matter.

 

[zig]

I got a crack in mine the first week that I had it. My wife parked next to a busy road and we are guessing that a rock hit it when a car passing by kicked it up. Anyways, it was along the side, so they had to replace it. I haven't had a problem since, and I drive alot. Of course the wife doesn't park next to the road anymore either. :bash:

 

[Fro-Runner]

3 years, 51,000 miles and no chips or cracks in our '03.

Our previous 'Runner, '98 Limited, had several chips by the time I traded it in on our '03.

OHHHH you lucky, blessed 4Runner owner!
I wish my luck would have been so good. I went on vacation last summer and caught a logging truck rock in Alabama on I-20. The dang truck jumped onto the interstate for like 2-3 exits and then jumped off.

The rock hit near the top passenger side area of my windshield. With the summer temps hovering in the low 90's, my windshield began to slowly crack about 5 miles down the road. I was PISSED since I had only about 6k miles on the truck. Anyways, the crack has progressed across the midway area making its way toward the driver's vision target area. I called Toyota dealership and got a quote of $671 to replace the glass. I haven't called my insurance company yet......I have a $50 deductile and they like to use thier contracted companies. I would like to retain the hydrophillic properties of the factory glass but not at the expense of it being this darn thin.

I would like to know if the 2006 models "thicker" windshields will fit our 03-05 models. Toyota should release a TSB for this crappy, thin windshield and replace them for free if you have a crack in the first 36 mos. of ownership.

P.S. > The Toyota corporation still owes me the 5 spd tranny they deliberately left out of the 2004 V6 models. I want my 5spd TRANNY Mr. Japanese auto maker.................................PLEASE!